Observations focused on the problems of an underdeveloped country, Venezuela, with some serendipity about the world (orchids, techs, science, investments, politics) at large. A famous Venezuelan, Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo, referred to oil as the devil's excrement. For countries, easy wealth appears indeed to be the sure path to failure. Venezuela might be a clear example of that.

Archive for August 21st, 2010

One of the nice things about having a blog is the remarkable memory one has. Not so much because I have a good memory, but because the blog is a an eight year database (Forgot the anniversary earlier this month!) of what has happened in Venezuela and many times when I have to go back and look something up, I look in the blog and not in Google if I know I wrote about the subject. On top of that this “memory” is complemented by that of the readers who are always quick to remind me of things from the past. It is truly amazing how many posts originate from readers or material is provided by them (Keep it coming!)

I write this preamble, because a reader sent me a note, reminding me of things Hugo Chavez has done on TV, which would qualify under his “Mediatic “Pornography” label and are no different, in fact they are worse, he did it on TV, which is watched by more children and adolescents than those that read El Nacional.

The first case took place on October 29th. 2001 during his variety show Alo Presidente. In it, Chavez showed pictures of bodies of dead kids from Afganistán, describing how these were today dead bodies, but were the day before live kids who were not at fault and a bomb was dropped on them. This was not even one minute, but several minutes and several pictures that Chavez showed in his program, as shown below:

Chavez was not only quite graphic, but the pictures were of the same gruesome nature as those published by El Nacional. He showed no qualms or scruples about doing this on TV, the outrage was against the US, for that he could use those pictures. Kids were watching, and of course, no Children Judge said the next day that he could not do this.

A nice double standard, but we know that.

It was very similar in 2004, Chavez then showed pictures of tortured Iraqis, I will not show them here you can look in the link. He went on and on talking about human rights, as if he would recognize one if he saw it. He once again showed no scruples about this “Meadiatic Pornography” that kids and adolescents were seeing on TV. He actually seem to relish it.

Such are the double standards of Hugo Chavez, having no morals, he will use whatever is needed to attack his enemies, he will shift criteria, allow himself and his buddies license when it fits their purpose, but attack when others do it. He can use fake pictures to try to make a point, even if he knows it is all a lie.

The problem is that he is such a great charlatan, that he has said and done everything and history comes back to bite him.

And nothing like the anniversary of Venezuela’s Communist Party (PCV) for a little revolutionary capitalism. At the celebration in Maracay a scant 133 Kms. from Caracas, there was a stand selling Farc coffee (No signs of a trade mark) as you can see in the picture below:

The communist party has been a staunch supporter of the robolution, its only saving grace being that it has refused to be absorbed onto Chavez’ PSUV party.

Just think, you are not only contributing to the “cause” of terrorism, kidnaps, bombs and the like, but you are buying the best organic coffee from the FARC’s own farms in Santa Marta or stolen at random from Colombia’s best farms, bypassing Chavez’ boycott of Colombian products and without paying value added tax. What a deal!

And all of this happens under the watchful eyes of a revolution that is everywhere in Venezuela and is always ready to stop anything it does not like, from violent pictures to sensationalist music videos and who (wink, wink) does not support the FARC, as Chavez has told us repeatedly. Yeah! Sure!